Caramel Shortbread

I found a tin of condensed milk in the larder cupboard so I decided to use it up and make a batch of caramel shortbread as a surprise for Father’s Day. These are incredibly sweet but oh so delicious.

Ingredients (As always, try to use organic ingredients)

1 Cup (208g or 7 1/2 oz ) Butter

3/4 Cup (170g or 6 oz) Caster Sugar / Berry Sugar

1 1/3 Cups (7oz or 200g) Self-Raising Flour

1 Small Tin (397g) Condensed Milk

2 tbsp Golden Syrup

1 Cup (190g or 6 3/4 oz) Chocolate Chips

Method

Base

For the base, cream together 4oz (114g) of the butter with 2 oz (57g) of the caster sugar until light and fluffy. Fold the flour into the creamed mixture. You may need to use your hands to properly bind the ingredients together into a dough-like consistency. Grease a small baking tin (I use a 7” squared tin). Spread the base mixture into the tin and press it firmly down into the tin.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (190°C). Bake the base in the oven for about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Depending on the size of your tin, and how deep you have made the base, you will want to keep an eye on the base cooking so that it doesn’t burn.

Set the base aside to cool.

Caramel Filling

Whilst the base is cooling, you can start to prepare the caramel filling.

Place the condensed milk, golden syrup, remaining 4oz (114g) of butter, and remaining 4oz (114g) caster sugar into a large saucepan. Melt the ingredients gently over a low heat. Once melted, bring the ingredients gently to the boil, and boil for 7 minutes, until caramel thickens. Ensure you continuously stir the caramel or it will burn and stick to the pan.

Once the caramel is thick, remove from the heat and beat in the vanilla extract.

Spread the caramel filling over the shortbread base and set aside to cool.

Chocolate Topping

Once the caramel has cooled, you can start to melt the chocolate for the topping. First, place boiling water in a small saucepan, over a medium heat on the hob. Add the chocolate chips into a glass bowl, and place the glass bowl over the top of the saucepan with the boiling water (make sure that the boiling water doesn’t touch the bottom of the glass bowl). Stir the chocolate chips until they are fully melted.

Once melted, pour the chocolate over the top of the caramel filling and evenly spread out.

Place the caramel shortbread in the fridge for the chocolate to cool.

Once the chocolate has cooled, turn the caramel shortbread out of the tin (upside down on a chopping board), and cut into squares. You should get about 24-26 squares out of the batch, depending on how large you make the squares.

Tip: The chocolate will likely crack when you try to cut it. To stop this from happening, score the chocolate into the squares when the chocolate is partially cooled; then place back in the fridge to completely cool. Another option is to chop the shortbread upside down (this is what I do) – some squares will still crack, but the majority will be just splendid.